Lonesome Dove 孤鸽镇

Hutto was calmer than Jim. He reached over, got his shotgun and broke the breach.

“I’ll tell you, Jim,” he said, “you just keep sitting there drawing her fire. I’ll load up with some buckshot. Maybe if she don’t brain you before the moon rises, I can catch the angle and shoot her. Or at least chase her out of chunkin’ range.” He reached into the pocket of his buckskin coat for some shells, and as he did, a miracle happened—for in Roscoe’s mind a miracle it was. He stood there, naked and wet, sure to be murdered within a few minutes unless a slip of a girl, armed only with rocks, could defeat two grown men armed with guns. He himself was so sure of being killed that he felt rather detached from what was happening, and invested only faint hope in Janey’s chances of saving him.

Nobody saw July come. Hutto was reaching in his pocket for shells and Jim was trying to fish those he had dropped out of the mud. Roscoe was watching Jim, whom he liked least. He was hoping to see a big rock hit Jim right between the eyes, perhaps cracking his skull. It wouldn’t stop Hutto from killing him, but it would be some consolation if Jim got his skull cracked first.

Then, at the same moment, Jim, Hutto, and he himself all became aware that someone was there who hadn’t been. It was July Johnson, standing behind Jim with his pistol drawn and cocked.

“You won’t need them shells,” July said quietly. “Just leave ’em lie.” “Well, you son, of a bitch,” Jim said, “what gives you the right to pull a gun on me?” Jim looked up, and just as he did, the rock Roscoe had been hoping for sailed in and hit him right in the throat. He dropped his gun and fell over backwards. He lay there clutching his throat and trying desperately to draw breath.

Hutto had two shotgun shells in his hand but he didn’t try to shove them in the shotgun. “I’ve had bad luck before, but nothing to top this,” he said, ignoring July and looking at Roscoe. “Can’t you at least make that gal stop throwing rocks?” Roscoe was having trouble believing what he saw. He felt he had missed a step or two in the proceedings somehow.

“Are you gonna get your clothes on or are you just going to stand there?” July asked.

It sounded like July, and it looked like July, so Roscoe was forced to conclude that he was saved. He had been in the process of adjusting to impending death, and it seemed to him a part of him must already have left for the other place, because he felt sort of absent and dull. Ordinarily he would not have stood around on a muddy prairie naked, and yet in some ways it was easier than having to pick up the pieces of his life again, which meant, first off, having to literally pick up pieces of his clothes.

“They cut up my duds,” he said to July. “I doubt I’ll ever be able to get them boots back on, wet as they are.” “Joe, bring the handcuffs,” July said.

Joe walked into camp with two sets of handcuffs. It shocked him to see Roscoe naked.

“I never seen so many young ’uns,” Hutto said. “Can this one throw rocks too?” “Who is throwing the rocks?” July asked. He had been about to step in before the rock-throwing started, but the rock- thrower’s accuracy had been so startling that he had waited a few minutes to watch the outcome.

“That’s Janey,” Roscoe said, buttoning up what was left of his best shirt. “She practices chunking varmints. It’s how we been getting our grub.” July quickly handcuffed Jim, who was still writhing around on the grass. The blow to the throat seemed to have damaged his windpipe—he gasped loudly for air, like a drowning man.

“You might shoot me, but you ain’t putting no dern cuffs on me,” Hutto said when July approached him.“This is July Johnson, and I wouldn’t fight him,” Roscoe said. For some reason he felt rather friendly to Hutto, though it was Hutto who had been most inclined to kill him.

Hutto didn’t fight but neither did he get handcuffed, for the simple reason that his wrists were too big. July was forced to tie him with a saddle string, a method he would rather have avoided. A man as large as Hutto would eventually stretch out any rope or piece of rawhide if he kept trying.

Roscoe managed to get his pants to hold together pretty well although they were full of holes. As predicted, he could not get his boots on. Joe helped, but the two of them made no headway.

“It’s a good thing you shot,” Joe said. “We was already camped, but July recognized your gun.” “Oh, was that it?” Roscoe said, reluctant to admit that it had been Janey who shot.

Once the men were handcuffed and tied, July got them onto their horses and tied their feet to the stirrups. Hutto and Jim he knew by reputation, for they had harried the east Texas trails for the last year or two, mostly robbing settlers but occasionally killing those who put up a fight. He had expected to find Roscoe eventually, but not the two bandits. Now something would have to be done with them before he could even ask Roscoe all the questions he wanted to ask about Elmira. Also, there was the rock-thrower—Janey, Roscoe had called her. Why was a Janey traveling with Roscoe? Indeed, where was she? The rock-throwing had stopped but no one had appeared.

Now that the danger was past, Roscoe began to feel that there were many awkward matters awaiting explanation. He had forgotten about Elmira and her departure for several days, although her departure was the reason he was in Texas.

Also, he would have to explain to July why he was traveling with a young girl. It seemed better to talk about the miracle of July’s appearance, but July didn’t want to say much about it.

“I never expected to see you right then,” Roscoe said. “Then there you were, pointing that gun.” “This is the main trail to Texas from Fort Smith,” July pointed out. “If I was looking for you that’s where I’d likely be.” “Yeah, but I didn’t know you was looking for me,” Roscoe said. “You don’t usually.” “Peach wrote and told me you was on the way,” July said. It was all the explanation he planned to offer until he could get Roscoe alone.

“I guess we’re caught, but what next?” Hutto asked. He did not like to be left out of conversations. Jim, who still had to suck hard to get his breath; showed no inclination to talk.

“You say there’s a girl?” July asked.

“Yep, Janey.” “Call her in,” July said.

Roscoe made an effort, but it went awkwardly. “Come on, July’s here,” he said loudly into the darkness. “It’s safe, he’s the sheriff I work for,” he added, just as loudly.

There was no sound from the darkness, and no sign of Janey. Roscoe could tell July was impatient. It made him nervous.